


Home

by Kaname84, TyyTyy



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cop Levi, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Homeless Eren Yeager, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:14:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22936924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaname84/pseuds/Kaname84, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyyTyy/pseuds/TyyTyy
Summary: Levi comes across a stray who has hit rock bottom. It's obvious the boy has been through a lot, shunned and thrown away by the ones who were supposed to take care of him. Now Levi takes it upon himself to give the boy a place to call home, but that isn't as easy as it seems. Eren's mind had been trained and forced to think in certain ways. Can Levi help him learn how to live again?
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Winter was a harsh season, one that Eren Jaeger dreaded every year. This year was worse than any before it. As a homeless teen, shelter was hard to come by—as was food, clothes and many other necessities. A warm bed was a luxury, Eren knew and accepted this, but that didn't mean he didn't really, really wish he had one. And _oh_ how nice it would be to have a hot, fresh meal, a long bath and a good night's sleep. At this point, he didn't believe he would ever enjoy those things again.

The holidays were fast approaching, leaving more people tight with their money and less likely to give it to a dirty and skinny alley rat. He ate everything he could, wasting nothing and he never took things for granted. However, food had been more scarce the past two weeks than it had ever been. He hadn't had a single bite in six days straight, though a nice lady had given him a bottle of water that he'd made last for three of those days. Now he was just tired and thirsty and hungry. He was so sleepy, having no energy to even sit up from where he lay atop a few pieces of cardboard he'd found, trying to shield himself from the snow on the ground. An old tattered blanket that didn't cover his entire body was wrapped around his shoulders.

It was windy, making the cold bite of winter even worse. Eren shivered and fought against the clenching in his stomach. It hurt. Made him want to vomit. There was nothing in there to come out though. When the pain refused to let him sleep, he began to cry, though he was far too dehydrated to form any tears. The sound of his own whimpers made him cringe. He wasn't himself anymore. When had he been himself?

Years…

This had been his life for the past three years and yet he considered himself lucky. Eren had surprisingly been through worse than this, and yet at the same time, he'd never felt so close to death. That feeling was so frightening, but a part of Eren welcomed it. He was tired of fighting. He was tired of suffering. He didn't want to live anymore. Because living like this, wasn't living at all.

Scrunching his eyes closed and locking his jaw to stop his chattering teeth, Eren let his mind wander to his younger days, when he had a home—a family, friends. Back when he had it all. Sometimes he didn't think those memories were real. More like fragments of his imagination, images built from dreams. Other times he felt the reality of everything, he knew he had gotten himself into this situation and the only person who could get him out was himself.

However, he just wasn't strong enough to get himself out anymore.

It was over. He just had to accept that. Let it pass, move on to the next life and quit being a burden here.

Eren had been a prideful and spunky brat and getting reduced to the trembling, icy skin and bones that he now was just made him accept the fact that he was dying so much easier. With the way he felt now, he wasn't sure if he was getting sleepy enough to fall asleep, or if his body was finally shutting down and bringing him with peace that had to come with his death.

A numbness had seemed to settle over him, maybe from the cold, he wasn't sure. He wasn't feeling much of anything besides the pain, at least until something warm and fluffy curled itself in front of his face and restricting his breathing. _Fur._ Eren's teal eyes fluttered open halfway and he moved his head until his lips were free from the black fur so close to him. It was a cat, a cat that smelled good and had a pretty silver collar on. Eren hoped he hadn't lost his home too and worried he had, he sat up and scooped the cat into his arms, cradling him against his chest. He was so warm and Eren really liked warm. He was surprisingly heavy in Eren's weak arms though and things became even more difficult whenever the teen forced himself to stand.

Knees buckling with every step, Eren slowly made his way to the end of the alley with the cat in his arms purring softly. It had to have an owner, it smelled too good, was too well fed. The collar too… this was not a street cat.

"You're… just lost buddy… I'll help you…" Eren fought the strong urge to close his eyes and looked around once he got to the street. His bare feet rebelled against the snow beneath them so he could only imagine what the poor kitty's paws had gone through.

It was late at night, the cat could have been lost for a long time. Eren's worry grew as did his exhaustion and he leaned against the abandoned building closest to him, breathing heavily and feeling as if he might faint. A soft meow had him petting the car and mumbling an apology. He just needed to hold on a little longer, just to make sure the cat found its way home, then he could go.

"Corporal!" Levi called out as he scanned the snow-covered street. One second was all it took from him to look away and his cat to sneak out the window he had opened, airing out his study that he had been cleaning. Now his feline companion was dashing through the snow somewhere getting into who knows what. "Corporal, come here!"

Eren heard a voice calling out in the distance, maybe a name? He wasn't sure. It sounded a little fuzzy, but the black cat must have heard it too because he wiggled a bit and meowed in Eren's arms. The voice seemed to grow closer though and soon Eren could make out the word being called.

"Corporal!"

The cat mewled loudly and stretched, as if responding to the call. "Corporal… is that you?" Eren asked hopefully while trying to straighten himself. "Hello?!" He tried to yell back, but his voice was as weak as he was, his throat bone dry and vocal cords unused.

Levi snapped his head in the direction of the broken voice, soon spotting a figure at the entrance of an alleyway. He frowned and started heading towards the figure that looked to be a young boy. A ball of black fur in his arms became clearer the closer he got and he let out a sigh of relief when he heard the familiar meow.

"You little shit." He scolded and reached for his cat, but ended up steadying the boy holding the feline. The kid was in really bad shape. "Hey . . . you look like you're about to pass out."

Eren felt like he was right, but he couldn't do that. He pulled in a shaky breath and gazed into the concerned blue-grey eyes in front of him. "C-corporal." He wheezed, shakily forcing his arms to move so he could hand over the cat.

Levi felt his heart clench, a sucker for big beautiful eyes. "Right. Hold onto him for me, okay?"

"Hold?" Eren frowned but held Corporal closer again, loving the warmth he was emanating. He couldn't keep him though. If he couldn't take care of himself, he certainly couldn't take care of someone so precious.

"There you go." Levi praised before scooping the boy up in his arms. "Don't freak out, I'm not kidnapping you. Just going to repay you for finding my cat."

Eren couldn't have fought him if he wanted to-but he didn't want to. Not when he was so _warm._ He couldn't ever remember being carried before and he wondered where this man was taking him. He didn't question him though, he only held onto Corporal and let his eyes fall closed. Resting his head against the stranger's chest, Eren sighed a content sigh as he drifted off.

Levi was only a little surprised that the boy did in fact pass out and for once was thankful his cat was an escape artist. He hated to think what would have happened if he hadn't come across the kid, those teal eyes of his sealing the deal. Levi was going to help him. He was going to help the boy who selflessly thought of nothing else other than saving Corporal's ass from the cold.

The first thing that registered when Eren woke was that he wasn't cold. Far from it actually. Eren was nice and toasty and not the kind like the sweltering heat of summer brought. The second thing he noticed was that he was comfortable. He was in a bed-a real big bed that was made in the softest sheets and the most amazing comforter. Then his nose came to life and he breathed in many different aromas. Clean. Fresh. Food. Cat.

_Cat?_

Eren's eyes flew open and he gasped at being face to face with a black cat with blue eyes. It all came back to him then, finding this cat, being found by that man… and now…

"Where am I?" Eren asked Corporal as he sat up slowly, taking in the room around him.

It was spacious and possibly the cleanest room Eren had ever been in. Even more amazing, Eren was clean too. Really clean. He smelled like soap and not just any old cheap soap either. He was wearing new clothes too and he didn't understand how any of it had happened.

It had to be a miracle. There was no other way of explaining it.

Eren admittingly felt much better than he had been feeling and yet he still didn't feel good. He'd finally slept well and was clean, two things he desperately needed. However, he was still weak and malnourished and he could smell food. He couldn't believe it but his mouth actually started to water and he swallowed hard. Would he be allowed to eat some of that food or would he be forced to go without it? The latter seemed much more likely.

Levi carried a tray full of food up the stairs and walked backwards into the bedroom, bushing the ajar door open with his back. "Perfect timing." He said as he turned around and found the boy awake. He brought the tray over and set it up across his lap, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. "Here. Don't eat too quickly or else you'll make yourself sick."

Eren was so amazed and touched that he felt his eyes burn. If he had enough fluid in his body the tears would have certainly fallen. "I know." He whispered, never one to rush through his meals anyway. He would savor them. Nervously, teal eyes glanced up to the kind man. "Thank you very much, sir." His hands were shaky as he cradled the hot bowl of vegetable soup in them and it was all so endearing that his lips trembled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And you can call me Levi." The raven said and brought his hands up to help steady the bowl. "Want some help with that?"

The boy took a sip first, moaning when the warm liquid seeped down his throat. "Too much trouble." He finally responded before going in for another little taste.

"It'll be too much trouble if you end up burning yourself." Levi said and continued to steady his hands. "Go ahead and eat, let's save our words for after you're full."

Eren finished another sip, this one bigger and then he set the bowl down on the tray. "Mm. Okay, I'm full." He smiled at the man. "You're very kind. May I have something to put this in?" It couldn't be gone to waste. Eren could eat on it for two days before it would have to be finished so it didn't go bad.

"Planning to eat and run?" Levi raised a brow and pet Corporal when he came to sit next to him. "Sorry to trouble you, but this little fellow makes the rules around here. He wants you to stay for a while . . . if you're comfortable with that."

"Stay?" Eren tilted his head as he regarded Levi with uncertainty. "Why?"

Levi went with the truth. "Because from what I saw, you have big eyes and a big heart and I have a weak spot for both. Don't go telling people that either, I'll deny it."

Not like Eren had anyone to tell anything to, but he still didn't understand what the man was trying to say. "I… I can't." Eren frowned, heart aching from his own refusal. He just couldn't handle it though.

"Are you really saying no to this face?" Levi asked, gesturing to Corporal as he scratched under his chin.

His frown deepened as he looked between the two, not sure which of them Levi was referring to. They both had nice faces. "Maybe… Maybe just one day." He said quietly. It was a mistake and he knew it, but he really didn't want to leave.

"Alright, can't argue with that." _Yet._

There was a bottle of water too and though the boy was completely parched even after those few sips of soup, when he opened the water he took no more than two small swallows before putting the cap back on. "Can I keep this too, please?" He asked hopefully, long lashes batting as he looked to Levi for confirmation.

The raven realized his mistake. Now that he told the kid his weakness, the boy was going to use it on him at every turn. "Drink that and I'll give you another one, alright?"

"Oh, this is plenty. I will make it last, okay?" Eren smiled and hugged the bottle of water to his chest protectively. He wouldn't let himself become a burden to this man, he'd already imposed enough. "Levi, sir… I don't have any money, but I'd like to repay your kindness. I can do any chores and… and I promise to do them good!"

Levi was gaining more insight into the kid's character . . . and what he had been through. "Drink the water. That'll help repay me, I have plenty of bottles to spare. Eat a little more soup too. You can't go around doing chores if you don't get your strength up, I've got high standards."

"High… standards?" Eren blinked at the man before coming to an understanding. He wasn't good enough in his condition to repay the man, so even if he felt guilty, he drank a little more and had a little more soup. He couldn't handle much though and once he'd had more than his normal fill, he looked back to Levi apologetically. "Is this okay for now? I promise I'll finish it later if you'll let me keep it."

He was like a stray cat. "That's enough for now." Levi agreed, not wanting to make the boy sick. Though something seemed to be lost in translation in regards to chores. "No more talk about keeping things, lay back for me and let Corporal snuggle with you." He said and the cat perked up at the suggestion.

Eren did as he was told but his teal eyes showed his inner panic. "You won't throw it out, right?" He asked fearfully as he opened his arms for Corporal who came to him happily.

"I won't throw it out." Levi assured as he collected the tray. "I'm just going to put it in the fridge." The poor kid, he really had a hard life didn't he? Though Levi respected not wasting food.

"Okay." Eren breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. You want me to just… stay here with Corporal?" It didn't feel right to lie in such a nice bed inside a home with a full belly, and not do anything.

"Yes. I'll be right back." Levi told him and hoped he could get the brunette to sleep some more.

That wouldn't be a problem. Being full and content, sleep pulled Eren under once more within minutes and he napped while cuddling Corporal for several more hours.

.

.

.

The house was spotless. When Eren awoke again, he found the bathroom and then carried Corporal with him through the home. It was spacious and impressively clean. It smelled so sanitary and yet good, the lingering scent of vegetable soup wafting through the air. It was warm and just like a real home. Eren felt sincerely grateful to be able to stay in such a place for not only one night, but two.

Accepting Levi's kindness wasn't as easy for him as one would think. It was frightening, much more than it should have been. He couldn't let himself be too happy about it, he would only hurt himself in the end that way. For now, he decided not to think about it. He was wandering around in search of Levi for a while before he found the stairs and wandered down them slowly even though he felt better than he had in as long as he could remember it seemed.

With the black cat nuzzling his chest, Eren made his way down the hallway, peering in all the rooms along the way until he found Levi in one of them. He was sitting at a desk, the room looking like an office for the man. He seemed to be working or in the middle of something, so Eren sat against the wall in the hallway and pulled his knees up to swaddle Corporal better. It would be rude to interrupt him for no reason, so Eren would just wait until he was free.

Levi finished sending the email he had been working and then closed his laptop. If there was any information in the system about his strey, he would hear about it soon. He stood up and stretch before leaving his office, doing a double take at the small bundle curled up outside his door. "What are you doing down there?" He asked and ruffled the brunette's hair.

Eren's heart clenched at the affectionate touch and his cheeks colored as he stared up at the man in awe. "I—I'm just holding C-Corporal." He said and his blush deepened from his stuttering.

"I see." The raven hummed and crouched down to the kid's level. "How about moving to the living room and sitting on the couch instead of the cold floor?"

Nodding slowly, Eren got to his feet, staring at the man before him in wonder. "Are you c-coming too, sir?" He asked quietly, hugging Corporal close.

"Levi." He reminded gently, though he didn't mind too much. "Yes, I'll come too."

"Okay." A small smile appeared on his face and he kept a hold on Corporal with one hand while dropping the other to hold onto the hem of Levi's shirt.

Though he was feeling a bit apprehensive, Eren led the way. He was still amazed by how clean, big and warm Levi's home was. The raven never had anyone grip onto his shirt like this and couldn't help but find the act endearing. His stray was uncertain and a little hesitant in his steps, but he was affectionate and seeking companionship. Levi was good at reading people in general, but showing his own emotions towards others was where he fell short. That wasn't happening with the brunette though and he knew it was due to his whole demeanor.

He had come across a genuine and pure soul that had been through hell apparently, left all alone. Levi wanted to know his story and hopefully help him find what he craved, hoping he was capable enough to give the teal eyed kid what he needed. His mind went through different ideas as to how to keep the younger man here as they entered the living room. It wouldn't be easy and from what little he had experienced, reasoning with him had to be done carefully.

Eren sat on the couch, still holding onto Levi's shirt. He peered up at him, blinking calmly as he waited for him to join him on the couch. When he did, Eren scooted a little closer without thinking and moved his hand to hold onto the man's pant leg instead.

"What's your name?" Levi asked as Corporal's purring reached his ears.

"My name?" Eren asked in surprise. He couldn't remember the last time somebody cared about that. "It's Eren…"

That definitely suited his stray. "Is there a last name that goes with that?"

"N-no!" Eren shook his head quickly, eyes going wide and fearful. "I don't have one so you can't send me back to those people." His grip on the man's pants tightened and he started breathing heavily in panic.

Eren's panic and words were yet another piece of the puzzle, but Levi was quick to calm him down. "Easy, no one is coming to make you leave. I'm trying to get you to stay, remember?" He assured him and reached forwards to brush in his bangs out of his face. "It's alright."

"Why? Why would you do that?" He asked quietly, voice trembling as much as he was. Tears had pooled in his big bright eyes, falling down his cheeks.

 _Fuck._ He made it worse. "Don't cry." Levi took a more direct approach and wrapped his arm around a thin body. "I'm doing it because I want to. I don't need any other reason than that."

Eren's body went limp at the comfort the man's arm awarded him, but he was near sobbing now. He couldn't remember the last time he had actual tears but he was making a lot of them. "I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry."

Maybe Levi was bad at this all around, but he wouldn't stop trying. "It's okay, Eren." He said and let the kid cry it out against him. "You're okay."

"I'm okay." Eren repeated shakily, nuzzling his wet face on Levi's chest. He sniffled and tried to steady his breathing. "I didn't mean to cry."

"There's nothing wrong with crying. I would just rather see you smile." Levi told him and brought his other hand up to wipe the brunette's cheeks. If he reacted like that to such a simple question, he must have been through a lot. At least he knew his first name now and the existence of 'those people'. Whoever those pieces of shit were.

"Really?" Eren asked softly, sniffling again. "You want me to smile?"

Levi hummed. "You have a beautiful smile."

"Beautiful?" Eren leaned back to stare at Levi in disbelief, cheeks red and not from his crying.

"That's what I said." Levi mused, the red tint making Eren looked even cuter. And innocent.

Eren smiled wide in spite of himself and let Corporal rest on his lap so he could wipe his eyes without letting go of Levi. "Nobody told me that before."

"Then you haven't met anyone worth a damn." Levi stated matter of factly as he took in the sight before him. "There you go, much better."

"You're really nice, huh?" It wasn't like Eren hadn't already figured the man was nice—he was just nicer than he first thought.

Levi snorted at that, no one else would ever use 'nice' as a way to describe him. "Not usually. Consider yourself an exception."

" _Me?"_ Eren's eyes went wide again. "Why though?"

Because he was weak for those big eyes and gentle personality, but he wasn't admitting that a second time. "Because I said so. Hungry?"

Eren looked away, embarrassed by the way his cheeks heated up again. "I think maybe I could have some more of my soup… if it's okay."

"Of course it is." He said and removed himself, taking the blanket from the back of the couch to tuck around Eren and Corporal who was well on his way to falling asleep. "Be right back."

Levi got a small bowl out of the cabinet, wanting to fatten the kid up but not wanting to make him sick. After he filled it with soup from the fridge, he put it in the microwave to heat up. A couple minutes later he carried it back into the living room with a spoon and hand towel.

Eren felt so happy, so grateful that he didn't think twice before crossing his legs under him and grinned, mouth watering as the delicious aroma from the soup reaches his nose. _What he wouldn't give to live a real life like this every day._ "It smells so good. I think it will be even better this time." Eren told him as he accepted the bowl.

"It's hot, be careful." Levi said and then sat back down beside him, placing the hand towel on his thigh.

"I will." Eren promised, raising a spoonful towards his lips and blowing softly. "Maybe after this I can do something nice for you too."

Levi didn't want anything in return, but he was realizing how his mind worked. "That's sweet of you, Eren."

Eren had a spoonful of soup and hummed happily. "You're amazing huh… being able to cook and clean so well. Are you married?"

The question caught him off guard to say the least. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" Eren didn't understand and he paused in eating to look at Levi quizzically. "But you're so great and handsome too…"

"You think so?" The raven smirked.

Face turning bright red yet again, Eren looked away, but he didn't deny it. "Well y-yes."

 _Ohh_ , Levi hadn't expected him to outright admit it again. "I'm not the marrying kind, as I've been told." He said, answering the question.

"I see…" Eren nodded. "That's normal for handsome men right, they like lots of women instead of just one." That's how it had seemed to him growing up, but he never really liked that. Or women for that matter.

"So now I'm a playboy?"

" _Playboy?"_ Eren questioned. "Is that like… a hooker?"

"Not exactly." Levi told him, a little surprised to hear such a word come out of his stray's mouth. "When I say I'm not the marrying kind, I mean no one in their right mind wants to marry me."

"Why not?" The boy pressed, wanting an explanation. "You're not a bad man so I don't understand… I think anyone would love to marry you."

Levi ruffled the kid's hair affectionately, finding his need to defend someone he just met endearing. "It's a mystery."

He didn't have the heart to break the image he had of him. The truth was he was just a bastard, not suited for being a lover. Seeing as how it hadn't worked out for him in the past, he supposed it was dead accurate. After all, he was the common denominator.

"Well, maybe it's a good thing." Eren smiled softly at him and returned to sipping his soup. "At least I'm not alone."

"No, you're not." And hopefully wouldn't be ever again if things went the way Levi wanted them to.

"Yeah, who needs to get married anyway." Eren huffed, cheeks puffing out. _Not him. Not ever._

 _Cute._ "Not us, that's for sure."

"Yeah!" Eren roared, throwing his hand up in the air. "Who likes women anyway."

Levi chuckled at the display, resting his chin on his fist as he gazed at his guest. "Certainly not me."

"Whoa, you too?!" Eren gasped, teal eyes wide as his head twisted back to look at Levi again. He'd always thought he was the only man who felt that way.

"That's right." The other man confirmed, impressed Corporal was sleeping soundly with all the noise Eren was making.

After having two more spoonfuls of soup, Eren asked, "then do you think… maybe… even after I leave, we can be friends. And maybe… we can see each other sometime?" He would really like a friend and even if it frightened him, he realized he was willing to risk it. Just one more time.

"I would be honored to be your friend." Levi said even though he had no intention of letting the brunette go. "But you don't have to leave so soon, right? I've been thinking and I'd like to give you a job."

"Really?!" Eren almost turned over his bowl. Nobody had ever offered him something so wonderful before. "Like… for real money?"

"You got it. I work a lot and my hours are unpredictable, Corporal ends up all by himself for long periods of time. I need someone to feed him and keep him company." Levi explained. "Maybe pick up around the house and get groceries when I don't have time to. In return, you can stay here and I'll pay you for your troubles. Sound fair?"

"Oh… Levi sir, that sounds like a dream come true but… but what if I don't do good… I've never had a job before and I would be very sad if you throw me away."

 _Throw you away?_ The phrasing was cause for concern, as if there wasn't enough of that already, but Levi was quick to put that fear to rest. "I'm not that big of an asshole. I would never throw you away, Eren. It's alright if you don't get the hang of it, you can learn. I'll show you how."

"Oh. Gosh, you're amazing. I could kiss you." Eren's eyes were sparkling in delight and he was grinning so big it made his cheeks ache.

Levi couldn't resist teasing him. "Go ahead. I won't stop you."

Eren wasn't expecting that at all and though he suffered from another deep blush, he moved to press a quick and shy kiss to the side of Levi's mouth. It happened so fast and as soon as it was over, the boy's heart started pounding and he got so hot he feared he would explode. Levi simply blinked in mild shock at the bold action. He didn't think Eren would actually do it.

"Did you just . . ."

Panic settled over the brunette and as quickly as the blood rushed to his face, it drained away. "You're mad… I'm sorry… I thought you meant it."

 _Shit._ "No, I'm not mad at you. I was just surprised." Levi settled him down. "Not a lot of people can do that to me. You're full of surprises, it seems." _Interesting_ , he liked that.

"So then… it's okay?" Eren asked bashfully. He hoped he could do it again.

"It's okay."

"Okay. Thank you." The boy smiled in relief and went back to eating his soup. He was looking forward to his first job and his first real friend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren is currently 18. While he is technically considered an adult now, due to the life he has lived until now, Eren has been and still is suffering mentally. His past trauma will be brought up/mentioned a great deal from this chapter onward.

**Chapter Two**

Levi woke up the following morning to a reply from the email he sent last night. There weren't any missing person reports matching Eren’s description in the system, at least not in their city. He wasn’t looking to force the kid back into whatever circumstances he escaped from, but he wanted to cover his bases and properly look after the stray. He would get him healthy first and then take it one step at a time from there. He was grateful Corporal took such a liking to the teal eyed boy and the cat hadn’t left Eren’s side since he brought them home. 

The raven let the pair sleep in, the younger man catching up on his rest. Judging from how easily he was knocked out, he must have been lacking a good amount. He called in from work in order to get Eren settled and comfortable, something he hadn’t done since . . . he couldn’t remember the last time he called in. Still, he didn’t want to leave him alone in his house after having just met him yesterday even if his cat was there to keep him company. From what he learned, the kid had been alone long enough. His condition was extremely worrying and Levi was careful whenever he touched him, afraid he might break. 

While he made breakfast, he made a mental to do list in his head to give his guest the bare necessities. He wasn’t particularly skilled when it came to taking care of others, but he had more than enough experience with strays. Corporal was one himself before Levi took the little furball in. He didn’t mind having another pair of feet padding around the house. He kept the meal on the small side, only making pancakes and bacon. He couldn’t rush things and had to let Eren gain weight gradually. As long as he didn’t get any skinnier everything should be alright. Wanting to encourage him to roam around the house, Levi set the table in the kitchen.

A cup of coffee for him and a glass of orange juice for Eren. He also opened a can of cat food for his little escape artist and put it in his bowl next to his water. Satisfied, the raven walked through the living room to head upstairs only to find the other two occupants on their way down. The black cat trotted down the steps with the kid right behind him. Just as he was about to greet him, Eren’s leg seemed to give out on the last few steps and Levi quickly intervened to catch him. Poor boy hadn’t gotten his strength up to what it should be. It made sense, Levi didn’t expect him to be capable of much as he was now. 

“That was a graceful fall there, Eren.” He chuckled, not wanting the teal eyed boy to feel ashamed about it. “Good morning.” 

“G-good morning,” Eren stammered, body heating up at the proximity. “I mean—s-sorry!” 

“It’s fine.” Levi said and scooped him up, deciding to carry him to the kitchen. 

Eren floundered, face hot as lava and heart hammering away. “W-w-what are y-you doing?” He squeaked. “I’m okay. I can walk, I promise!”

There was no point considering he was already halfway there. “It’s not as if it’s a long journey, don’t fret over it.”

“Still,” Eren huffed, lower lip jutting out in embarrassment. Though, this wasn’t the first time he’d been carried by this man. “Am I starting work now?”

“I’ll be giving you the rundown today, but you won’t be officially starting just yet.” Levi explained as they entered the kitchen. He set Eren down in the chair before taking the seat next to him, Corporal already digging in. 

“Right. I’m grateful, sir.” Eren said, staring at the plate before him in a state of shock. His stomach rumbled at the sight and smell of the food and it made his cheeks darken even more than they already were. “All this for me? It’s too much.”

Levi picked up his coffee mug by the rim and brought it up to his lips to take a sip. “As long as you’re under my roof, I’m going to take care of you. So trust me a little. That’s all I ask. Whatever I give you, it’s never too much.”

“I trust you,” Eren blurted out immediately, much louder than needed. “I-I mean, I just really don’t need so much and I don’t want you to go out of your way for someone like me. You’re already doing so much for me…”

There it was again, that line of thinking that Eren had. His mind was either trained or forced to think that way and either way Levi didn’t like it. “I assure you I never do anything I don’t want to. I understand that you’re not used to this, but it is something you need. I’ll show you that too, Eren. You need a lot of things I suspect no one ever gave you. Come on now, I don’t cook for just anyone.” Sometimes not even himself when he got too busy.

“You don’t?” Eren asked in a whisper, surprised to hear that. “I don’t want you to do that though. I already owe you everything. At this rate… I’ll never be able to repay you.” 

Levi set down his cup and reached for the maple syrup. “Sounds good to me, I’ll be able to keep an eye on you for a long time. Now tell me when.” He said and started pouring it over Eren’s pancakes.

“When! _When!”_ Eren gasped, smacking Levi’s hand in exasperation. “Isn’t that _sweet_?”

“Do you not like sweets?” Levi asked, amused that his stray actually hit him, not that it hurt.

“Yes! I remember sweets. Very good.” Eren smiled. “But I haven’t had any in a long time… I’m scared I might like it too much.”

That was an easy fix. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you splurge too much. Can’t have you getting cavities.” He said before pouring a little more on the kid’s pancakes. “There.”

It was a lot of food, but Eren wouldn’t let a single bite go to waste. The pancakes couldn’t be saved for later like other foods. “Thank you,” he said and watched Levi, waiting for the go ahead to eat. 

Levi picked up on the subtle behavior, but decided that was another battle for another day. He was supposed to be taking things slow. “Let’s eat and then start our day.” He said and picked up his fork to take a bite.

The boy nodded happily and picked up his own fork before beginning to eat. It was so good that he wolfed down the first few bites before reminding himself to take it easy. The pancakes were perfectly warm, soft and buttery—the maple syrup so sweet he couldn’t help but hum approvingly after each bite. He ate everything on his plate, including his bacon and even finished his orange juice, though Levi had finished first. 

“Ugh. It was _so_ good, Levi, sir.” Eren groaned, looking at the man with droopy eyes as he clutched his full tummy. 

“I’m glad you liked it.” The raven said and drank the last few sips of his coffee. 

“I really did.” Eren whined, knowing he’d eaten far too much. He felt extremely guilty for doing so and couldn’t remember ever in his life being so full. 

Levi chuckled at the display. “Good. You didn’t waste a single bite, I’m proud of you.”

The brunette pouted, brows furrowed as he stared at the kind man. “I feel very tired now for some reason.” That food had really hit hard and now he just wanted to curl up and sleep. He’d been sleeping so much though and better than he ever had in his life. 

“Is that right?” His stray was more sleep deprived than he thought if a little food made him drowsy. “In that case you can join me in the living room while I take care of some things.” The older man stood up and started putting their dishes in the sink.

“Really?” Eren asked excitedly as he got up and followed Levi, still rubbing his belly. “I can stay with you?”

“Of course you can, you’re going to be stuck with me all day.” He told him and began washing the dishes. 

“Oh, I can do this. Please, I’m supposed to be working.” Eren leaned against Levi, trying to reach and take over. 

The dark haired man wouldn’t let him. “Go get the cups on the table and then you can dry.” He said, allowing him to help a little.

“Yes, sir.” Eren groaned, sulking as he did as he was told. He quickly returned and grabbed the towel to dry. 

The pair made quick work of the dishes, the brunette putting them away where Levi instructed. He went to his office to grab his laptop once they were finished, his two strays following behind him. Eren joined him on the couch back in the living room after they went back and Levi tossed a blanket over him. Corporal hopped up and settled on the back of the couch, purring when Eren started to pet him. Levi was hoping to entice the kid into napping while he searched online for some things the teal eyed boy would need. After a minute though, Eren shifted closer. Then closer. He finally settled himself against Levi, leaning on his side and laying his head against his shoulder. 

“What color do you like?” The raven asked him, going through some shirts.

“Color?” He asked softly, voice _so_ quiet. “I like colors…”

Levi glanced over at him, his bright eyes closed. A small smile tugged at his lips and he said nothing more as Eren drifted off. He shopped for a good while as his stray slept and loaded his cart with a number of things, most importantly clothing. It was important for him to do things properly and thoroughly so he didn’t worry about the price of it all. He was more than fairly well off and could afford spoiling his new resident. The brunette started stirring a bit as he was checking out, brows furrowed and lips turned into a frown. Levi didn’t hesitate to reach down and start petting his head and continued to do so even when Eren calmed. 

He was sleeping soundly well into the morning and Levi had gone back to his email, deciding to work from home a little until the kid woke up. The second time Eren started to stir, he nailed his way closer to the older man. Corporal hopped off the couch at the motion and went on his merry way upstairs. Levi didn’t really mind the cuddling until it began to interfere with his work, forced to move his laptop out of the way when the brunette got into his lap. The raven thought he might be awake as he clung to him, but he noticed his eyes were still closed as he nuzzled into his chest. It was cute and concerning at the same time. 

Levi closed his laptop and set it on the end table before securing his arms around the stray. “Are you that starved of affection?” He asked quietly. “You go searching for it in your sleep?”

It was a shitty situation and he hated it. He had seen and heard all kinds of cases in his line of work so he knew it could be a multitude of things that Eren went through. Once again he was curious to know why—learn what happened to him and whose ass to kick. His priority was to take care of him and help him heal though and he needed to keep most of his focus on that. He let Eren snuggle as much as he wanted and simply held him for another few minutes. Moving forward, he would keep it in mind that the brunette was touch-starved and try to do his best not to deny him of it. It wasn’t as if he minded either, he already had a soft spot for him. 

When Eren stirred for the third time, he finally opened those teal eyes of his and blinked sleepily up at Levi. A soft smile pulled at his lips and his hand raised to rest against Levi’s cheek. “Hi.”

“Hi.” The older man chuckled, suspecting he was still half asleep. “Are you comfortable?”

“Mhm.” His smile widened as his hand trailed down Levi’s neck and chest. “Warm.”

Levi gave him a small smile in return, thinking that if Eren really was a cat he would be purring. “Good. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes… I’m sorry. It was an accident.” Eren stared up at him, lips forming in a pout. “I didn’t mean to get so sleepy.”

“That’s alright, it’s important for you to be well rested.” He said and was a little distracted by the sulky display. 

“Because I need energy… so you can use me?” He asked curiously, playing with Levi’s shirt at his chest. 

The question pissed the raven off, but he wasn’t mad at Eren. “No. I have no intention of using you and whoever has in the past is a piece of shit. I’m not going to be like the people you were around before, you hear me? I’m going to take care of you.” He promised. 

The boy sat up slowly, but didn’t remove himself from Levi. “You’re angry… I understand. I’m not good in this condition. But I can get better… just don’t throw me away, please.”

The kid didn’t get it and Levi had to take a deep breath, reminding himself not to lose his patience. He was talking about being thrown away again and it just went to show that his recovery would be a long and hard battle. Levi needed to be firm and constant right now, anger was just going to scare Eren and make him think he had done something wrong. 

“I’m not going to throw you away, not now, not ever.” He said in a softer tone and held the brunette closer to him, gently pressing his head into his neck as he started petting his head again. “Listen, Eren. You’re not something to be used. I know things are confusing right now and you may not understand, but the way you’ve lived until now . . . the way you’ve been treated, it isn’t right. It’s not your fault either, let me be clear. I’ll show you the right way and I’ll give you the love you deserve.”

“If it’s you, it’s okay.” Eren mumbled, arms snaking around Levi’s neck while his body tried to scoot closer to him as if he wasn’t already in his lap. “I can give you love too.”

That wasn’t exactly right either, but Levi supposed it would do for now. “You really are sweet, aren’t you?” At the very least he wouldn’t mind being loved by him, not at all. 

Eren’s face lit up, teal eyes going wide and near sparkling. “I am! I’m sweet.” He nodded, leaning in to carefully rub his cheek against Levi’s. His hips shifted and moved purposely on top of the older man, his left hand dragging down between them. 

_What the fuck?_ Levi stiffened and kept his expression neutral. “Eren . . . what are you doing?”

Smiling sheepishly, Eren kept trailing his hand downward until he finally reached his prize. “Giving you love.” He said, pressing his chest to Levi’s while brushing his hand down over the man’s crotch. 

That response opened a whole new can of worms and Levi almost wished he didn’t know what it meant. He gently grabbed both of Eren’s wrists and held them to his chest, now having a better idea of what the kid had experienced. “Not like that. That’s not what love is.”

“W-what?” The boy’s face fell, a look mixed with fear, confusion and sadness taking over his expression. “Is it—am I too old? I’m too ugly?”

“Not at all, I think you’re very pretty.” The raven clarified and decided it was best to give it to him straight. He had to start teaching him now and make sure there weren’t any misunderstandings, although part of him knew the right thing to do was to call a professional. Levi knew all along that the kid needed proper help from people who were trained to handle these kinds of cases . . . but this was his stray and he was afraid Eren would break. “Love is something different, it’s a feeling not an action. What you’re thinking of is called sex.”

Eren nodded once understanding. “I know. Sex makes you feel loved. I think you’re very kind, Levi, sir… so I think… with you, I will be happy to love.”

“Sex is a way to show love, but just because you have sex with someone doesn’t mean you love them. There are different kinds of love too.” The older man explained. He would answer and explain as much as he needed to until he was certain the brunette truly understood. “Since you know what it is, you’ve had sex before, right? I’m sure you were taught to think all kinds of things, but whoever taught you doesn’t know what love is either. They were wrong.”

“No.” Eren shook his head quickly and snatched his hands away to hold himself. “He wasn’t wrong. I… I wouldn’t have run away but I just… sometimes love hurts a lot and I was scared. It’s too late now—if he knows I’m alive… he’ll… he’ll—” The boy went pale and started hyperventilating, desperately trying to remove himself from Levi. 

The raven was quick to take hold of him and trap him in another embrace. He had meant to handle things delicately, but it wasn’t a surprise he fucked that up. It was never a skill he possessed. “Hey now, just breathe. It’s going to be okay, he’s not going to do jack shit. I promise. I promise you. You’re safe here, I’ll protect you.”

After another moment’s struggle, Eren’s body went lax and he started sobbing. He just weakly held onto Levi’s shirt while he cried. When he was finally able to speak, he just kept apologizing over and over again. The boy was a mess of choked sobs and hiccups, tears and snot getting all over the man’s shirt. 

“It’s okay, I’m not angry.” Levi said as he rocked him back and forth. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s alright, I’ve got you.”

Eren only continued to apologize repeatedly, but along and along the apologies slowed down and after some time, his crying ceased and his breathing began to calm. He remained still, lying against Levi as if he was completely relaxed and then he just stopped speaking altogether. His silence and stillness only worried the raven more and he didn’t like the numb look in the brunette’s eyes. He was lost as to what to do and just continued to rock him until an idea popped into his mind. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was worth a try. Levi gently ran his fingers through Eren’s hair as he started to sing to him. 

At hearing his soothing voice, Eren perked up and lifted his head from Levi’s chest to look at him in amazement. “Beautiful.” He whispered under his breath, affectionately stroking the man’s cheek. 

The only other person who had ever heard him sing was his mother, but Levi kept singing to Eren until he finished the song. It was all he could do to try and save his fragile state of mind and he was just thankful that it seemed to be working. 

When the song was over, Eren smiled wide, eyes closing as he clapped excitedly. “You’re amazing, Levi, sir!”

The raven sighed in relief. “There’s that beautiful smile. I’m glad I was able to bring it back.” He said and began wiping the kid’s face. “Sorry I made you cry.”

“Oh—that was just… I was being silly.” He laughed nervously and cradled Levi’s hand in both of his, thumbs stroking over his knuckles. “I-I’m sorry about that… maybe it’s just… it’s been a long time since I’ve spent so much time with anyone.”

“Well that’s going to change, I hope you know. You’re going to get sick of me.” Levi told him and then added, “And it’s not silly . . . whatever you’re feeling, whenever you’re feeling it, it’s important.”

With a giggle, Eren moved his face towards Levi until he placed a soft, chaste kiss to the side of his mouth. “I like this feeling better. It’s happy and warm. Sorry for causing so much trouble.”

Seriously, what kind of monster could hurt this stray? “You can cause as much trouble as you like.”

“I just want to be good for you.” He sighed, laying his head back on Levi’s shoulder. “I’ll just… stay here a while.”

“Forever sounds good to me.”

“Whoa.” Eren laughed. “I think that sounds like a plan. As long as I can kiss you whenever I want.”

Levi almost agreed right away before what he said actually sinked in. It was practically harmless, but at the same time not such a good idea. He couldn’t pass up the chance to keep Eren here, however, where he knew he would be safe. “Alright, you have yourself a deal.”

“Lots of kisses.” Eren mused, leaning in to press another to the man’s cheek. “And you… you can kiss me too if you want. Kisses have um… feelings that aren’t sex.”

“Hm, that’s right.” Levi praised, relieved he was starting to get it even if it was just a little at a time.

Eren leaned into the man, resting his head in the crook of his neck. “Thank you, Levi, sir.”

“You’re welcome, Eren.”

Truthfully Levi wasn’t the perfect person to be taking care of him, but he would do right by Eren. He wasn’t going to take advantage of him and he wasn’t going to be kissing him like the brunette offered. Maybe he would seek out professional help for the boy after all and take him to someone the raven trusted. He was determined to protect that beautiful smile and gentle heart that were so rare in his line of work, crushed by the hard truths of the world. Eren wasn’t going to be another light snuffed out, Levi would help him shine brighter than ever, even if it meant he would be blinded by it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren’s actions are due only to his childhood trauma. He also suffers from Stockholm syndrome and his issues will not be easily overcome. Levi will be doing whatever he can to help Eren, and Eren has never received any help before. He does trust Levi and respects him greatly but adjusting to a new, normal life will not be easy for him.


End file.
